Mass Effect: Battlefront
by AlphaGuardian
Summary: The Galactic Empire has fallen. The New Republic has launched a massive offensive against a last Remnant stronghold on the forest moon of Endor. In the midst of this, a New Republic lieutenant by the name of Sila Dredger is pulled into a new war with new friends, enemies, and challenges. But there is more going on than anyone knows.
1. Alpha and Omega

Prologue: Alpha and Omega

 **I'M BACK BITCHES!**

 **As a testament to the new Star Wars: Battlefront (FINALLY), I decided to write this book.**

 _NOTE: The prologue is gonna be a bit on the short side. But it'll be action-packed._

 _Forest Moon of Endor. 5 ABY._

The two crosshairs and the dot in the center were her entire world as she hid in the trees. From her hideout, she watched the Imperial Remnant officers discussing strategy around a holotable, which showed a map of the forest moon. The New Republic was coming, and she had to find out what the Remnant was planning.

One year ago to the day, the New Republic, then called the Rebel Alliance, had struck a final blow against the Galactic Empire by destroying the second Death Star above the forest moon. The leaders of that battle: Generals Skywalker, Solo, and Calrissian, Leia Organa, and their companions were revered as the saviors and liberators of the galaxy, the ones who ended the tyranny of the Empire, and Lieutenant Sila Dredger intended to do her part today to flush out the Imperial Remnant.

As a trained sniper and wetwork operative for the New Republic, Sila was deadly at both long and short ranges, adept with any weapon at the Republic's arsenal. She could just as easily bull's-eye a womp rat at a hundred meters as she could a thousand. Some of her peers called her skills unnatural, but she always cast them aside as useless gossip.

" _Omega Three, this is Omega Lead._ " Her team leader hailed, " _Lieutenant, are you in position?_ "

"In position and ready to fire, sir." She whispered.

" _Stay put and hold fire. Keep a watch for us. Do not fire unless I tell you to._ "

"Yes, sir." She swiveled her sniper rifle around so that she could see the rest of her team, Omega Team, advance on the Remnant command center. Omega was a good bunch, but it was probably for the better that they didn't know about the wetwork part of her training. She had been put into Omega three years ago, just after the Battle of Hoth. Her entire unit had been wiped out by an Imperial walker; Sila had only escaped because she had been on a ridge a hundred meters away.

She shook those thoughts from her head and refocused on the Remnant officers. The entire facility was defended by a contingent of Stormtroopers, soldiers from the 501st, judging from their armor. These were some of the last officers of the Remnant, so Sila had expected them to be well-defended. She put Omega back into her sights and saw that Omega Six, Lance, was missing. Lance was the heavy-weapons specialist on the team. They would need him for the fight against the 501st.

"Omega Lead, this is Omega Three." She radioed. "Where's Omega Six?"

" _Omega Six, do you read? Over._ " No response. Omega Lead hailed Lance again, but still no response. " _Lieutenant, keep an eye out for him. We'll proceed with the mission as planned._ "

"Yes, sir." Her rifle traversed the entire visible area, but Lance was nowhere to be found. "Omega Six, this is Omega Three, do you copy?" She hailed. She got the same response as her squad leader: dead silence. "Omega Six, this is Omega Three, do you read?" Still nothing. "Fierfek." She cursed. "Where is he?" She switched her scope to thermal imaging and scanned the area again. She saw several distinct shapes moving through the forest, most likely the native Ewoks, but no sign of any humanoid heat signatures except those of the rest of Omega Team.

The Stormtroopers started to move. As did the officers.

"Omega Lead, HVT's are mobile. Repeat: HVT's are mobile."

" _How many guards?_ "

"Full contingent; 501st. I spotted an AT-ST when I came in. It wasn't manned yet."

" _Take the shots, Lieutenant. Now._ "

Sila grabbed the grip on her rifle and planted the sights on the lead officer. He may have been six hundred meters away and protected by a half-meter of synthetic looking-glass, but Sila knew her rifle could punch through. She took a deep breath, steadied her aim, and pulled the trigger.

Inside the weapon, a microscopic section of supercooled ionized plasma was subjected to an electrical current, which heated it up enough to turn it to its plasma phase. It was then combined with an amplified light diode and irradiated as it shot out of the barrel at one and a half times the speed of light. In just under a quarter of a picosecond, the plasma-laser bolt vaporized the glass and the officer's head.

And best of all, the rifle made so little noise that the 501st guards had no idea where the shot had come from. "HVT Alpha terminated." She reported as she pushed the bolt on her rifle back into place.

" _Krife, Lieutenant. Where'd you get that rifle?_ " Omega Four, Reldor, asked.

"From a Remnant vault. I stole it." While she technically wasn't lying, she also wasn't telling the whole truth. The idea of plasma-laser combinations had come from the Empire and the Death Star, but the rifle itself was a New Republic make. Designated the Prototype Mark One Directed Energy Sniper Rifle, the X-M1 DESR, which Sila affectionately called the Deserter because of its tendency to make enemies desert their comrades, was the single most powerful, and hazardous, weapon in the New Republic's arsenal. Sila had been chosen from among a hundred candidates to field-test the only working prototype of the weapon. It had been a humbling sight to see the rifle put into her hands that day five months ago.

" _Well, remind me never to torque you off._ " Reldor said.

"Yeah, you do that." She put her sights on HVT Bravo. She had to wait at least four seconds for the rifle to build up the electrical charge necessary to heat the plasma in the pack. If she fired it early, the plasma would only get to the gas or liquid, or worse solid, stage and either not pack enough punch to be lethal, or explode inside the rifle.

A light on the side of the rifle turned green, indicating that the charge was built to the minimum effective level and the weapon was ready to fire. Sila gave it another second, not only for the rifle but also for her to recenter her sights on the target. She put the crosshairs on the center of the officer's chest and pulled the trigger. The officer was vaporized on the spot and the 501's guards were still clueless.

"Bravo terminated. Charlie is yours, sir." She told her squad leader.

" _Negative, Lieutenant. Take the shot. Command wants them all terminated._ "

"Sir, you said-"

" _I know what I said. Our orders have changed. Take the shot._ "

"Yes, sir." Sila hesitantly put the rifle's sights on the third officer and waited for the rifle to charge.

 _Why would Command want them all dead?_ She wondered. _Why not leave one for interrogation?_

But orders were orders. And she had to follow them.

The light came on, Sila took a breath, and the last officer was vaporized where she stood. "Charlie terminated, sir."

" _Good work, Lieutenant._ _We'll handle the guards. Provide fire support as necessary._ "

"Yes, sir." She emptied her mind and took pot shots at the frightened Imperial guards.

" _Omega Squadron, this is Gray Four, on approach to primary target._ " A Y-Wing pilot commed.

" _Gray Four, this is Omega Lead. Our point-man is Omega Three. Lieutenant Dredger is providing sniper and overwatch support._ "

 _Copy, Omega Lead. Omega Three, mark the target._ "

"Copy, Gray Four." Sila pulled a small box from her side pouch and pointed an indented side at the command center. "Target marked and ready for payload. Have a nice day."

" _Solution received, Lieutenant. Commencing Operation Firestorm. Clear the area, please._ "

"You even said please. I feel so honored." She stood up and started to climb down the trees.

" _It's a forgotten courtesy._ "

" _We'll remember that when you buy drinks, Gray Four_." Omega Lead commed. The distinct whine of the Y-Wing Starfighter's twin ion engines thundered overhead just before a series of explosions made the ground beneath Sila's feet tremble.

" _Command, this is Gray Squad. Operation Firestorm is a go._ "

" _Copy, Gray Lead. All units, push into the main complex. Fighter wings are directed to destroy any Imperial craft on approach. This operation cannot be compromised._ "

Sila slung her rifle over her back and drew her sidearm as she raced to regroup with Omega Squad. She knew that she was several hundred meters behind her team, but she also knew that they would encounter resistance. Already, she could hear the fighting ahead of her. It was fiercer than she had anticipated. She broke into a brisk run, and in just a few seconds, she crested a ridge and got a view of the fighting in its full scale.

It was everywhere. The New Republic and the Remnant were trading laser bolts over an entire swathe of the forest moon. A few AT-STs lumbered about, and as Sila watched, one went up in flames as a rocket broadsided it. The Remnant was on the defensive. Sila dropped to the ground, grabbed her rifle, and set up for a few choice shots. She scanned the battlefront, searching for her team, but she couldn't see them at all. "Omega Lead, this is Omega Three. Where are you guys?" She hailed.

" _We're in the thick of it, Lieutenant! Stormtroopers on the left! Omega Four, Omega Five, hit that flank! Omega Two, I need that drop shield up now!_ " As she watched, a blue bubble sprang up almost in the center of the battlefield. Sila steadied her breathing and snapped off a single shot that tore through two Stormtroopers, but more were coming after Omega.

" _All units, we have reports of a shield bunker protecting the main complex. Any available units are ordered to divert and neutralize the bunker._ " Command said.

" _Lieutenant, that's you. Get going. We'll be fine._ " Omega Lead added.

"Sir, I-"

" _You heard the Commander. It was an order, and you're an available unit. Get a move on._ "

"Yes, sir." She begrudgingly got up, slung her rifle over her shoulder and headed to the waypoint that appeared on the HUD of her helmet. She got about three hundred meters out from the base when the ground started to rumble under her feet. She scanned the trees, and froze.

" _WALKER INBOUND!_ " A New Republic trooper shouted just before a huge bang signaled his death.

" _Alpha Squad is down! Command, we need strike bombers ASAP!_ "

" _Bravo-Six, this is Gold Leader. Mark the targets._ "

"Gold Leader, Omega Three. Marking target now!" Sila caught sight of the lumbering walker and pulled out her laser designator, waiting for the laser to transmit coordinates to the Y-Wings. "Target marked. Have a nice day."

" _We will when that walker goes down, Lieutenant._ "

"I hear that."

" _ETA: ten seconds. Bombing run initiated._ " Sure enough, a few seconds later, the whine of the twin ion engines screamed overhead and several proton bombs slammed into the hull of the walker. A rocket slammed into the connector piece between the main body and the 'head' of the walker, and another rocket hit the cockpit. With all of the damage sustained, the walker was still coming at them. It fired its dual turbolasers once and decimated a squad of New Republic troops.

"Gold Lead, that walker is still coming. Can you make another run?" Sila reported.

" _Affirmative, Omega Three. Gold Squadron inbound. ETA: twenty seconds._ "

"Got it."

" _That shield bunker is still operational. Gold Squadron, mark the bunker as primary target._ " Command ordered.

" _That's a negative, Ghost Rider. We're dealing with an Imperial walker at the moment._ "

" _An Imperial walker? Affirmative, Gold Lead. Continue on current course._ "

" _Roger, Command._ " A turbolaser round smacked the ground only a few meters away from Sila, throwing her to the ground and destroying the designator. " _Omega Three, we've lost the uplink. What's going on?_ "

"The walker found me! Designator has been destroyed. You'll have to manually hit the walker."

" _That's a tall order, Omega. These bombers do not handle well._ "

"I thought you were the experts?"

" _Now that hurts, Lieutenant. Gold Squadron, form up on me. We're going in the old-fashioned way._ " The Y-Wings screeched in overhead once again and dropped a second payload on the walker. Several bombs missed the walker, but the majority hit it, and punctured the hull. The head went up in flames, as did the main body.

"Good shot, Gold Squadron!" Sila commed. "Target destroyed!"

" _Have a nice day. Command, walker destroyed. Proceeding to primary target._ "

" _Negative, Gold Squadron! Anti-aircraft defenses have been sighted! Break off and return to Home One._ "

" _Affirmative._ "

" _Omega Three, this is Bravo-Six. Are you on your own here?_ "

"Yes."

" _Join up with us for the final push. We could use a good sniper like you._ "

"Got it."


	2. That's No Shield

Chapter 1: That's No Shield…

"Let's move." Bravo Leader led the push towards the shield bunker. Along the way, the conglomerate met heavy resistance from Remnant Stormtroopers. Maroon Three went down from a shot to the head from a Remnant sniper, and Silver Lead took a round in the shoulder which left him unable to fight. Sila herself had been grazed in the arm once. She was now laying down fire with her modified DL-46 heavy pistol. She hit a Stormtrooper straight in the head and watched him crumple to the ground. "Stormtroopers on the right!" Bravo Leader said. "Maroon Squad, take them out!

"Light walker inbound!"

"Bravo-Four, deploy the dome shield now!" Bravo Leader ordered. A few seconds later, a one-way dome formed around the ragtag group. Just after that, a two-legged walker lumbered out of the forest and opened fire on them.

"Five seconds, sir!" Bravo-Four reported.

"Silver-Three, I need heavy fire on that walker now!"

"Yes, sir!" Silver-Three launched out of the dome with his thruster pack and broadsided the walker with a rocket. The head of the walker exploded in a fireball as the body lurched from side to side and then collapsed in a heap of metal and fire.

"Nice work!" Bravo Leader said. "Mop 'em up!" Sila slid in behind a fallen tree trunk and snapped off a few shots from her DL-46. She hit a Stormtrooper in the head with a single precise shot, causing the trooper to topple over onto another trooper. She heard a small thud as something hit the ground next to her.

"Grenade! Hit the deck!" A New Republic trooper shouted. Sila threw herself as hard as she could away from the explosive, but she still felt the brunt of the force that the grenade threw out when it exploded. She hit the ground hard and felt the wind fly from her chest. She coughed and wheezed for a second, trying to get air back in her lungs. She grunted as she hauled herself up, noting a wince of pain in her leg as she drew her heavy pistol again. When she tried to sprint back to cover, she found that her leg wouldn't respond properly, as if the joint in her knee had gone dead. She hobbled behind a tree and took pot shots with her pistol.

"We're almost there! Keep pushing!" Bravo Leader shouted. Sila pushed herself away from the tree and came face-to-helmet with a Stormtrooper. She instinctively took a step backwards before smashing her boot into the side of the trooper's helmet with a fast and powerful roundhouse kick. She paid for it a second later when her knee felt as though it was on fire as she limped towards the bunker, now just a few hundred meters away. A tap on her shoulder brought her around to another Republic trooper.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine."

"That leg doesn't look good. You should-"

"I said I'm fine." She picked up her pace just a bit. An eerie silence had fallen over the forest moon; as if everyone had just disappeared, except for the mismatched squad now advancing on the shield bunker.

"Stay alert. Stormtroopers could be anywhere." Bravo Leader said.

"Sir."

Sila had her pistol still in hand, and was now scanning the surrounding forest with it. A shuffle of foliage behind her made her whip around, pistol ready to fire, but she saw nothing. "Problem, Lieutenant?" Bravo Leader asked her.

"It's nothing. I thought I heard something behind us."

"Okay. Silver Squad, watch our six."

"Affirmative, sir."

"I'm not taking any chances here. Not with the Remnant sporting AT-ATs." Sila nodded in appreciation before picking up her pace to catch up to the rest of the team. When she caught up, the team was waiting outside the bunker. "Okay. We'll go in two teams. Omega-Three and Maroon Squad will come with Bravo in the first team. The rest keep watch. When I tell you to come in, you come in, got it?"

"Sir." Sila fall in with Maroon and Bravo squads, her pistol held tight in her hands. She was right in the middle of the single-file procession that entered the shield bunker. The inside of the bunker was as dark as dark could be. There was no way any sunlight was going to enter, because the entire bunker was sealed at every point. Even the air was filtered through an airlock at the entrance. It was bitter cold, in stark contrast to the stifling heat of the forest moon. Sila felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Anyone else really creeped out right now?" Someone asked.

"Stow it, soldier." Bravo leader said.

"Sir, power box over here."

"All right. Hit the lights if you can find them."

"Should be… here. Shield your eyes." Sila squeezed her eyes shut as the lights came on. When she opened her eyes several seconds later, she almost threw up.

"Oh…" She coughed.

 _There were dead bodies everywhere._

"Fierfek!" Bravo Leader cursed as one of his squad threw up.

"What's going on here?!" Someone shouted.

"I don't know. Stay sharp. I don't think we're alone here." Bravo Leader raised his blaster rifle and scanned the room.

"I don't think this is the Remnant's doing." Sila said. "Even they aren't this brutal."

"I agree. Eyes peeled." Bloody handprints dotted the walls as the team crept through the bunker. Through the entire bunker, there were no signs of life. Only corpses strewn about.

"Sir. This doesn't seem like a mass killing." Sila said. "The bodies are just strewn about, like they were disposed. I'm thinking that this was more of a place to discard failed test subjects."

"Why would they do that?"

"I couldn't tell you, sir." The final room in the bunker was filled with tables and terminals, none of which were operational. The tables, however, all had bodies piled on them. Blood was spilled everywhere, in some places making puddles on the ground.

"Sir, this is fresh blood. These people were killed recently." One of the soldiers said.

"That's not good. Let's see if we can find out how these poor sods died." Sila turned over with her rifle the first body she found and found a giant hole drilled in the corpse's skull. She could see parts of the brain still inside, while most of it was strewn on the floor as grey matter. The corpse's final scream was still etched onto their face, their pain never-ending. Sila felt her stomach turn on end as she struggled to keep herself from throwing up.

"Sir. You need to see this."

"Lieutenant, what's- Oh, by the Force." Bravo Leader averted his eyes when he saw the cause of death. "Poor sod."

"What were these people doing here? What kind of sick experiments was the Remnant doing here?" Someone asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Bravo Leader asked. "I certainly don't. I want to find this shield generator, shut it down and get out of here."

"Point taken, sir."

"This doesn't make sense. There's no shield generator." Bravo-Two said. "Did Command drop the ball or what?"

"Maybe we didn't search enough. Let's make another sweep. Silver Lead, come in." Bravo Leader commed. Dead silence. "Silver Leader, this is Bravo, come in."

"Sir?"

"Silver Lead, respond immediately." No answer. "Hazel Squad, report in." Static filled the channel. "What's going on here? Maroon Squad, go check on the others."

"Yes, sir."

"Omega-Three, stay close. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Makes two of us, sir."

" _Bravo Leader, this is Command._ "

"Command, I read you."

" _Get out of there now! That's not a shield bunker! Its-_ " The channel cut before Command could finish.

"You heard the man! Move!" Bravo Leader took off and was shot dead before he hit the door out of the room.

"Fierfek!" Sila cursed as several Stormtroopers clad in black armor appeared around the room. She drew her pistol, only to have it shot from her hand.

"You had your fun, Captain. Leave the rest alive." A deep and sinister-sounding voice said. A final person entered the room, clad in a black robe and a plain mask that shrouded his face. Sila noticed a metallic cylinder in the man's hand, and instantly knew that it was a lightsaber. "These will do. Take them alive."

" **Sir.** " The troopers faded again. One by one, the Republic troops were knocked unconscious, until only Sila was left standing, dumbfounded at the speed of these new Stormtroopers.

"A prime subject. Perfect." A hand came down on the back of her neck which interrupted the electrical signals in her spine and knocked her unconscious.

* * *

"Good work, Captain. Secure the new subjects for transit. We can't run the tests in this… unsanitary environment."

" **Yes, sir.** "

Darth Valir watched with a sly smirk as the Shadowtroopers rounded up the New Republic soldiers and hauled them off to the shuttle bay. He didn't like that he had to kill one of the soldiers, but if the soldier had gotten away, Valir's plans would have been ruined.

He had been surprised that there was only one female in the entire group. The Shadowtroopers had taken down several with the other squad outside the bunker, but in here, there had been only one. It struck him as odd, primarily because he had always known that the Republic was equal-minded in terms of gender. It made little difference to him, the tests would still run as planned. He had simply hoped for a more diverse pool of subjects to draw from.

" _Have you found any suitable subjects?_ " Darth Reiniar, Valir's Sith Master, demanded.

"I have, my master. Several, in fact. They will arrive shortly."

" _Good. The Warlord Project is running low on subjects. Return immediately. You must oversee the project for some time. The Master has need of me._ "

"I understand, Lord Reiniar."

* * *

Sila awoke to find herself strapped to a table, needles stuck in both of her arms and legs. For some reason, her whole body ached, and her nerves were on fire. Her mouth was dry and she had a terrible headache. " _Subject-117 has awakened. Vitals are stable._ " A voice echoed over a PA system.

* * *

"Heartrate steady at ninety BPM, blood pressure is one-twenty over eighty-three. Count has leveled off just over eight hundred. Beta wave readings are off the charts. Very high levels of brain activity." One of the lab technicians reported.

"Good. Administer the next dose. Five hundred."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

A sharp lance of pain spread throughout her entire body and the only thing that she could do was scream. It did her no good, as the pain didn't go away. She was uncontrollably thrashing about on the table, even as the restraints held her down. She finally succumbed to the pain and passed out.

* * *

"Sir, her heartrate just went through the roof. One hundred, one-twenty, one-thirty bpm."

"Administer the sedative, now! We cannot lose her!"

"Sedative administered, sir. Heartrate dropping back into acceptable levels. Blood pressure still just above the acceptable level."

"What is it?"

"One-sixty-three over one-oh-five, sir."

"Count?"

"Leveling off at… fourteen-hundred."

"Let her recover for a bit. Twenty minutes, then administer another eight hundred."

"Sir."

Valir turned on his heel and walked out. After a full year of experimentation, Lieutenant Sila Dredger was the last surviving test subject. The Warlord Project had been unable to find any other suitable subjects after the Second Battle of Endor. Dredger had to survive. Valir was willing to do anything to make sure she did. Maybe with her on his side, he could get rid of Reiniar and end the pointless feud between the Jedi and the Sith. He passed several of the Shadowtroopers, but paid no attention to them. There were other matters that required his full attention.

* * *

When Sila woke again, she was still on the table, but she was no longer held down. Her arms and legs were completely numb by now, and a dull ache resounded in her entire body. She still had a headache, but it was dying down now. She arched her back and felt every joint in her spine pop. She had no idea how long she had been on that table, she only knew that she was stiff and in pain. She noticed that there were gaps in her memory, things that she should have remembered, she suddenly couldn't recall. It worried her that she was forgetting things. She was known for her amazing memory and ability to recall events in crisp detail. Now some things were a blur in her mind, and others were completely forgotten. She laid her head back down on the table and actually fell asleep seconds later.

* * *

"Sir… she just fell asleep on the table." The technician reported.

"What?" Valir asked with a chuckle.

"She fell asleep, sir."

"That's good. The experiments haven't interrupted her normal function. How are her vitals?"

"Stable. Blood pressure is one-twenty over eighty-five, heartrate leveled off about a minute ago at seventy bpm. She still has a lot of brain wave activity, though, sir."

"Then it's working."

"Correct."

"Can you administer another dose while she's asleep?"

"It could send her into shock."

"A small dose, then. No more than one hundred."

"Yes, sir."

"And were you able to recover her equipment?"

"Yes, sir. Why?"

"Familiar objects might set her at ease."

"I see. Yes. Everything is in the lockers in E-7."

"Good. Thank you." Valir strode out and went to the storage lockers where the Lieutenant's equipment was supposedly stored. While he trusted his staff, he wasn't ready to take their word on everything. They were still loyal to Reiniar, and no one knew what went on in that man's mind. If he was even a man anymore.

Valir opened the lockers and found everything just as it had been the day that Sila had been taken for the Warlord Program. Her rifle, which Valir himself had helped create the theory behind, her uniform and pistol, all were there. Valir pulled a small box and set it in the locker as well, hoping that he would be able to teach her how to use what was in the box. If he could not, the holocron that he had also stowed inside would be able to help her. No matter what, he had to make sure that Reiniar could be stopped. This pointless battle between Jedi and Sith, light and dark, had raged for ages upon end. Valir hoped that he could be the architect of true peace and balance in the Force. The architect of a world where there was no light and no dark, only the raw Force, which was not a crutch that was used when needed, but a tool of everyday life.

Valir sighed as he returned to the lab. "So now that you've made sure I was right, are you happy?"

"Very."

"Good. We're ready for the next dose."

"Has she woken up?"

"The last dose woke her up, but had no adverse effects."

"Okay. Let's do another two-hundred, then."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Sir… she's leveled off at thirty-eight hundred. She has surpassed the mark set by Lord Reiniar."

"Is she okay to continue?"

"I wouldn't test it, sir. She's already at a high risk of adverse conditions."

"Okay. Let's get her into recovery then. It's been two long years, but the Warlord Project is finally a success. Congratulations, gentlemen. You've done the Imperial Remnant a huge service." Valir turned on his heel and strode out, eager to report his success to Lord Reiniar.

 _And when the time was right, Valir would kill Reiniar._

* * *

 **You know, this chapter is a lot better when you listen to 'The Fall' from the Dragon Age: Inquisition Soundtrack while you read it.**


	3. Gut Feelings

**So I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens a little while ago. It was pretty good. It had its flaws but it was still a good movie, and I highly encourage you all to see it.**

Chapter 2: Gut Feelings

The first thing that Sila noticed when she woke up was that she wasn't on the table anymore. Now the surface beneath her was softer, as if she was lying on a bed or a sleeping pad. When she opened her eyes, a white ceiling greeted her. The light made her eyes sting a bit as they adjusted, but she blinked a few times and was able to see perfectly fine. She found that she was, in fact, resting on a bed, but it gave her no indication as to where she was. In fact, she could remember very little, aside from months upon months of various experiments. And pain. She remembered being in a lot of pain. The pain must have worn away at her memory. Her joints ached from being still for so long, and she had a mild headache. She could scarcely remember who she even was. She remembered that her name was Sila Dredger, and that she had been a Lieutenant… but what was a Lieutenant? She couldn't remember much of anything.

She stood up and walked around her small room, trying to ease the stiffness in her joints. As she was stretching her legs, a creak behind her told her that the door had opened.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" The man who entered was about Sila's height, maybe a bit bigger. His black robe hid an obviously muscled figure, but he had a very calming presence about him. Sila got the feeling that while he wasn't one to fight, he would if pressed. Sila got a strange feeling about him as well. A kind of sixth sense told her that there was something off about him.

"I'm fine. Who are you?"

"My manners flee, I see. My name is Valir. I oversaw your care for the last two years."

Something snapped inside Sila; with blinding speed, she snatched him up by his throat and held him in the air. "You did this to me!" She seethed. "You bastard!"

"Quite…" He choked and struggled for breath, "the… contrary. I ensured… that you… would live." Her rage quickly subsided and Sila dropped Valir. He fell to a knee, coughing and sputtering as he tried to regain his breath and composure. "As I was saying, I watched over you and ensured that you would come out of the process with no adverse effects, although it seems you have developed increased aggression."

"What did you do to me?" Sila demanded.

"That would take more time than we have to explain. I know it is sudden, but you must come with me."

"Why?"

"I have some things for you."

"Some things? Very descriptive."

"You will see." Valir walked out, and Sila felt compelled to follow him, even if she didn't trust him. Valir led her through a series of hallways and side passages filled with people in long white coats all chatting and exchanging notes. They all gave her strange looks when she passed them. They were either surprised that she was awake, or they hadn't been modest enough when they were dressing her. She was inclined to guess at the former, as she looked down and saw that she was wearing a short white dress that went down to her knees. Valir finally came to a halt at a set of lockers that were stood up in a room of their own. "This is all yours, Sila. Everything in these lockers belongs to you."

"All of this is… mine?"

"Yes, from before you were brought here. I'll wait outside for you to change your clothes."

"Okay." As soon as the door was sealed, Sila cracked open the first locker. Inside was a green camouflage set of clothes that went over a black undershirt and pants. She quickly removed the dress, but stowed it for later, as she thought it looked quite nice, and donned the new clothing. She reached into the next locker and found a large rifle that felt familiar in her hands. She remembered it as the 'Deserter', but she knew that wasn't what it was really called. She also found a pistol which she strapped to her belt after slinging the rifle over her shoulder. At the bottom of the locker was a small lockbox. She pulled it out and opened it up.

"What's this?" Inside, set in a cloth holder, was a small metal cylinder, ornate in design, with a hollowed-out end and a button on the side. There was also a pyramid-shaped object inside the box, but Sila hesitated to remove it. Something about it gave her a bad feeling, so she left it alone, closed the box and set it back in the locker, while clipping the cylinder to her belt as well. She left the room and found Valir waiting for her.

"Everything's okay?" He asked.

"Fine."

"I have no doubt that you still have some lingering pain from the testing, but I am under the impression that you need to move around to work out that pain."

"After sitting on a table for two years, I wouldn't mind a workout."

"Good. Right this way." Valir strode off, not bothering to wait for Sila to catch up.

"Where are we?" She asked when she caught up to him.

"I know this sounds cliché, but that's not really important right now."

"Damnit, I need answers."

"You'll get them, I promise." Valir opened a door which led into a large, open room that was surprisingly unpopulated. While the rest of the area was abuzz with people, this room was completely empty.

"What are we doing-" Sila was cut off by a sudden snap-hiss sound as a red beam of light appeared at the end of a cylinder in Valir's hand.

"I want to show you something, Miss Dredger." Valir pushed a button on the wall and three robot-like creatures flew out of the walls. He pulled the beam up, as if he was holding a sword. Sila vaguely remembered a beam just like Valir's, but she couldn't place where she had seen it.

A small blast of energy soared from one of the drones and flew straight at Valir. Without any change in his stance, Valir brought his blade to bear and deflected the bolt right into the ground. The other two robots joined in, all firing at Valir. As Sila watched, the bolts seemed to slow as her heart started racing. She was a bit concerned for his well-being. If he missed even a single bolt…

With grace and dexterity, Valir deflected every single bolt, either into the ground, the walls, or back at the robots themselves. When all was said and done, the robots were smoking heaps on the ground.

"What do you think?"

"I… I don't get it. Why not just dodge them? They were moving slow enough."

Valir smirked. "That is your perception of them. To me, they were quite fast."

"Then why did they slow down for me?"

"A simple adrenaline rush. It's completely nor-" Valir was cut off by a blaring alarm and several muted explosions. "What the-?"

" _Alert! Hostile troops have entered the base! All personnel must evacuate immediately! Repeat: hostile forces have entered! All personnel evacuate immediately! This is not a drill!"_

"Fierfek!" Valir said. "Come on, I have an idea!"

"What's going on!?" Sila asked as she rushed to catch up to him.

"We've been invaded."

"What are you going to do?"

"Get you to safety."

"What about you?"

"I'll find a way out."

Two soldiers clad in white and black armor turned the corner and raised their rifles at Valir and Sila. "HVT has been spotted!" One announced as Sila shot him dead with her pistol. She aimed and hit the second trooper in the head with another well-placed shot.

"Good shooting! Let's go!" Valir charged on, his blade at his side. He cut through three troopers that tried to arrest their progress, cleaving each through his midsection. Sila had to smack one trooper with her elbow and then kick him in the head when the latter tried to ambush her. She quickly grabbed her pistol and shot him dead. "We're almost there! Hurry!" Valir shouted.

"Where are we going?" Sila asked.

"It's hard to explain in a short time, just hurry!" They rounded another corned into a short corridor with a sealed blast door at the end. Valir extended his hand and telekinetically tore the door from its frame, crushing it against the wall.

"What's in there?" Sila asked.

"It's a side project we've been working on." Valir rushed to a terminal connected to a platform in the middle of the room. Three columns rose up from the edges of the platform, and beneath was a glowing ball of blue energy. Sila got a strange feeling in her gut. "It never quite worked until a few weeks ago."

"What is it?!" Sila demanded as more soldiers streamed into the corridor behind them.

"It's a matter teleporter."

"A what?!" Sila shot several troopers dead, and as they fell, she saw an ominous figure round the corner. Tall and imposing, draped in a black robe that covered their entire body, this new person held the same blade that Valir did. Sila's blood turned to ice as she saw him.

"Valir! We have company, and it is not friendly!"

"Wha- FUCK! No, net yet! It isn't ready!" Valir smashed his fist against the console.

"What do we do?!"

"You get on that platform!"

"What about you?"

"I can keep them busy until the teleporter powers up."

"But-"

"Don't argue! Just go!" Sila hesitantly stepped onto the platform, which was promptly surrounded by a blue force field. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being able to help more. You'll understand later." A whir began to echo beneath Sila's feet as the teleporter powered up. Valir stepped to the doorframe and faced down the figure approaching them.

"You have failed me for the last time, Valir." The figure said.

"I never failed. You just didn't see the success."

"I took you in and raised you as my apprentice. I taught you everything I knew in hopes that you could lead the Remnant someday. I gave you free rein on these experiments, and you repay me by letting the only successful subject escape?"

"She's not escaping, Reiniar." Valir's blade sprang to life. "She's discovering a new frontier."

"One that you shall never see." The two clashed swords as Sila looked on, trapped in the field as the teleporter gained power. Their speed astounded her, as did Valir's tenacity in this losing battle. Sila could tell that he was going to lose. This 'Reiniar' was faster and stronger, but he was also getting frustrated.

The terminal dinged and the whir beneath Sila's feet leveled off. The teleporter was about to fire. Both Valir and Reiniar shot looks at Sila. Her blood froze as Reiniar's red eyes pierced the force field and hammered into her. In the moment of hesitation, Valir cut Reiniar's hand off and Reiniar rammed his blade through Valir's chest. Both stopped in their tracks. Valir dropped his blade while Reiniar clutched the cauterized stub that had been his hand. As Valir fell to the ground, Reiniar glared at Sila.

"I will find you. And I will kill you." He growled.

The teleporter fired and Sila was gone in a flash.

* * *

In the same instant, Sila reappeared somewhere else. As she looked around, she saw only an unending field of grass. She knew it looked oddly familiar, but she couldn't figure out where she had seen it before. She pushed herself up off the ground and looked around, trying to get her bearings.

"Wha… what the…" She stammered.

She saw what looked like a settlement a ways away, but sitting in the middle was a giant spaceship that looked like a beehive. There were small black clouds pouring out of the ship, and people in the colony were screaming in fear.

She couldn't hear the screams. She felt them. She felt their fear as though it was a palpable thing, and it felt like a knife in her ribs.

 _What is this?_ She wondered as she ran for the settlement. _What did they do to me?_

As she neared the settlement, the screams in her head stopped. There was no more fear. It had all stopped so suddenly. _Did they all… die?_ Her heart started to beat faster as she neared the colony. _No… no, they can't all be…_ She stopped at the edge of the colony, where she saw that the black clouds were actually tiny insects, like bees, "dead." She finished her own thought.

The insects didn't seem to notice her as she stood staring at the colony. While she was staring, though, larger humanoid insects walked into her field of view. When they saw her, they raised what looked like organic rifles and started firing at her.

By instinct, she turned and ran the other way. She had no idea what these things were, but they weren't friendly. As much as she wanted to fight to save the people in the colony, she knew she couldn't take them on alone. They were most likely a numerically and tactically superior force. Her best thought was to put some distance between her and then use her sniper rifle. She considered the weapon on her belt, but without a proper knowledge of it, she didn't want to test it. What the hell are these things?!

A voice behind her made her freeze in terror. **"I will direct this personally."** She shook the fear from her thoughts and ran again, not wanting to find out the source of the voice. She leapt over a rocky outcropping and grabbed her rifle, laying it on the rocks to steady her aim. She clicked the safety out of place and listened to the rifle's core build up a charge. She remembered how the weapon operated, and knew to not pull the trigger just yet.

As soon as the green light lit up on the side of the rifle, Sila put the crosshairs of her scope on an insect-humanoid that seemed to be either glowing or on fire, Sila couldn't tell which, and pulled the trigger. The rifle smacked against her shoulder as the creature disintegrated. **"We are limitless."** The creature's dying words made Sila uncomfortable, but she shook the thoughts from her head and reaimed the rifle. When she fired again, she tore two more of the creatures apart. Now the rest were almost on top of her, so Sila grabbed her pistol and snapped off a few choice shot at the advancing creatures. One of them went down, but there were easily ten more advancing on her.

Out of desperation, Sila grabbed the cylinder at her belt and fumbled for the activator switch. A pale white blade sprang from the cylinder, and nearly sliced through her leg, had she not pulled the blade up and away from her back. It felt natural to hold the blade behind her, for some reason. She stuck out her pistol, just as she remembered being taught. Her aim was steady and true as she fired into the crowd of creatures. While she managed to kill three, the others were still coming, so she slid her pistol back to its holster and brought the blade to bear. She had no idea the capabilities of the weapon, so when they got into range, she stepped out from behind the rock and took a swipe at the nearest creature.

 _The blade passed through, sliced the creature in half, and sliced another in half._

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed. She smirked an evil smirk and sliced two more to bits. The last three tried to retreat, but were put down by well-placed shots from Sila's pistol. As Sila put the blade away, the ship in the colony rumbled to life, as did a large cannon that Sila had previously ignored. The cannon started to fire at the ship as it took off, and Sila figured that it was as good of a time as any to go to the colony and get some answers. She figured that someone had to have survived. And if not… well, someone had to have gotten the cannon operational.

When she got to the cannon, she found a group of three humans facing down another human. From the looks of it, the human in black and red armor was the leader of the group of three, and was embroiled in a heated debate with the lone human, in grey armor. All held weapons of some kind, and they all looked like they meant business. Sila hid behind a large shipping crate and decided to listen in. She wanted to get answers, but she needed to know these people weren't going to kill her first. They could be working with the Remnant, for all she knew.

"…brought me back to take down the Collectors." The black-armored man said.

 _Collectors? Those insectoids?_ Sila wondered.

"You're with Cerberus now." Sila caught a hint of disbelief in the grey-armored man's voice. As Sila watched him, she could feel his anger and frustration rising like a black current that threatened to sweep them all away. "I heard rumors that you were still alive, but Cerberus?"

"Kaidan, you're missing the point. I'm fighting to stop attacks like this one. To make sure this never happens again." Now the black-armored man's frustration was rising, but this one was calmer, more controlled. Sila was able to get a sense of his experiences. He had dealt with loss, war, and so many other painful events that he was almost impossible to get a clear read on. But she also got a feeling of capability from him. The feeling that he would get a job done, no matter the cost.

"I get that, but Cerberus? Do you remember those experiments they did?"

"I remember damn well what happened. But the Alliance isn't doing anything. The Collectors are working with the Reapers, Kaidan."

"What if they're not, Shepard? What if Cerberus is using the Reapers to get to you? What if they're behind this?"

Sila knew that this 'Kaidan' wasn't going to listen. When 'Shepard' had mentioned 'Cerberus', Kaidan had lost all inclination to listen.

"You're not going to listen, are you?" Shepard asked Kaidan.

"I need to leave. I have to file a report to Admiral Hackett. Shepard, if the Collectors are working with the Reapers, then I wish you luck." Kaidan turned and left, nearly walking right past Sila's hiding spot. As he neared, she could feel the conflict in him. Part of him wanted to join Shepard, but the other part told him to remain loyal to the Alliance. She watched him walk away, and almost felt sorry for him. When he was gone, Sila leaned back out and looked towards the others who were left.

"Commander." A dark-haired woman behind Shepard tilted her head towards Sila's hiding place.

"Shit!" She hissed as she ducked back behind the crate. She took a breath and calmed herself before rolling her neck and walking out in the most collected manner possible.

"How long were you back there?" Shepard asked.

"Not terribly long. Long enough to hear most of your conversation." Standing in front of the Commander, gave Sila a sense of the stress on him. She could see past his helmet the dark circles under his eyes that betrayed the long nights without sleep. The sag in his shoulders told Sila that he was exhausted, but he knew that there was a long fight ahead.

"Who are you?"

"Name's Sila."

"And…?"

"That's it."

"You're not big on details."

"Took you long enough to figure out."

"You look like you're ready for war."

"I am."

"You a merc?"

"No."

"Soldier?"

"Not anymore."

"Then what are you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"You're dodging the question."

"I really don't know what I am. I only know some of what I was."

"Well, it looks to me like you don't want to be here."

"I don't. I'd rather be out doing some good in the galaxy."

"You could join our mission."

"The Collectors? Sounds like a big deal."

"It is."

Sila narrowed her eyes. The whole time, she had been studying the Commander and his team, and it seemed evident that their mission was genuine, but Sila had her doubts, first and foremost about this 'Cerberus'. But then again, she knew nothing of where she was, and the Commander's mission was the only way to find out. "Give me a reason." She pressed.

It's a way off this colony. And a chance for you to do that good you want to do."

"So why was he so pissy about 'Cerberus'?"

"Cerberus doesn't have the best reputation."

"Sounds like it."

"But they're the only ones who are trying to stop the Collectors."

"All right. You made your point. I'm in."

"Welcome to the crew." Shepard stuck out his hand, and Sila shook it, if only as a common courtesy.

"This should be interesting.

* * *

 **Well, finally. That's done. I'll be back eventually with more, but I have a lot on my plate, so don't expect a miracle.**

 **-AG**


	4. A New Home

Chapter 3:

"That's your ship?" Sila asked Shepard as she looked out of the window.

From what he had told her, the _Normandy_ was a state-of-the-art stealth frigate built in secret by Cerberus, the shadowy pro-human organization Shepard was working with. It looked like a trident; two shorter 'spears' which formed the engines straddled the angular main hull, with no sharp edges or corners to speak of. The paint scheme seemed odd to Sila, the orange-accented white flash made the ship far too visible to the naked eye for her liking. She pushed the thought from her mind, as she lacked any spaceship engineering knowledge, as opposed to the Cerberus engineers who most likely had spent years or decades designing starships.

"Not quite what you expected?" Shepard asked.

"Thought it wouldn't be so flashy."

" _Normandy_ 's state of the art. Fastest frigate in the galaxy. It's kind of flashy, yes, but it'll get away from anything that sees it."

"I would hope so." Almost as a manner of habit, Sila took the lightsaber from her belt and rolled it around in her hand, careful not to activate it in the confined space of the shuttle. She remembered her lessons during officer school about lightsabers, how dangerous they were on the battlefield, and how only those specially selected and trained could use them. Anyone else, she remembered, would only injure themselves or those around them. The thought of hurting those around her made her sick to her stomach, and she put the lightsaber away.

"What is that?" Shepard asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." Sila lied. "I just found it." A gentle thud interrupted the conversation, as the shuttle set down in the _Normandy_. Shepard stood and opened the door.

"Take some time to explore. If you need me, I'll be in the comm room on the second floor."

Sila nodded and followed him out of the shuttle. While the ground team made a beeline for the turbolift, Sila poked through every nook and cranny of the shuttle bay. She felt something that was out of place. In the flood of new sensations, one stuck out that felt almost malevolent. More out of anxiety than anything, she pulled the lightsaber from her belt and held it tight at her side, ready to spring the blade to life should the need arise.

In the flood of sensations, it was impossible to pick out just one to follow. Every emotion, from joy to terror, Sila felt aboard the ship. Her head was beginning to hurt from concentrating so hard, and she was ultimately forced to give up her search, as much as it frustrated her to do so. She put the lightsaber back on her belt and made for the elevator. She wanted to be away from whatever was creating the malevolent sensation. She punched in the command for the turbolift to take her to the second floor and leaned her shoulder against the wall as the turbolift started up. As soon as it started moving, Sila knew it wasn't a turbolift, however. She could vaguely remember turbolifts being faster than what this was. She shifted her rifle on its sling and checked her pistol. When she heard the door in front of her open, she holstered her pistol and walked out, the raw emotion on what she assumed to be the bridge almost taking her off her feet.

The bridge looked to her like a batch of organized chaos. The crew all moved about, exchanging datapads and words. Officers checked on all of the stations, making sure that all systems were in good condition at all times. In a few minutes, the bridge settled down, with the crew returning to their stations and the officers taking places at terminals around a central raised platform overlooking a holographic map of the galaxy.

Shaking off the surprise of her entry to the bridge, she wandered around for a minute, unsure of where she should go next. She decided to go back to the elevator and try to find a quiet spot to sort out the last twenty-four hours. She found a respite from the chaos in the observation deck. She sat on the floor, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes.

Nestled in her thoughts, she pored over what had happened since she had awakened. Though there were many gaps in her memory, she remembered feeling as though something about her had changed. Whatever had happened while she was out had changed her at a fundamental level. She felt more impulsive than she remembered. She wanted to understand what had happened to her, but the only person who could tell her was more than likely dead, and she doubted Reiniar would tell her without gutting her in the process.

During her escape, however, she had noted that her aim seemed especially sharp. She couldn't attribute it to the adrenaline rush, as even then she was not as good of a shot as she had been. She also noted her ability to use the lightsaber. While it wasn't as polished as the techniques of the Jedi, she could not deny her ability to wield it. She had never heard of a non-Jedi wielding a lightsaber, so her own capability to do so frightened her. _Was I always able to do that?_ She wondered. _Or is that what they did to me?_ She had never heard of anyone being given the ability to wield a lightsaber. It was something that the Jedi taught each other. People didn't just learn to use a lightsaber.

The lack of answers frustrated her almost as much as not being able to find the source of the disturbance in the hangar bay. She knew that it was almost impossible to find the answers as well, and that frustrated her even more. Her thoughts turned to a haze as she became more frustrated at the lack of clarity. She knew nothing. And that fueled her frustration to a boiling point.

She let out the breath she had apparently been holding in as she removed herself from her reflections. A clatter around her told of falling objects, and as she looked around, one hovered in front of her face.

 _The lightsaber._

"What?" As she spoke, it fell into her outstretched hand. She didn't, however, remember extending her hand. She felt compelled to wrap her hand around the cylindrical hilt, a sense of clarity and determination filling her mind as she held it tighter. Whatever she had to do to find the answers she sought, she would do. Nothing would stand in her way. She stood and activated the blade, giving it a few test swings. It felt choppy and blunt, as she was still unused to the entire weight of the weapon being in the hilt. As she swung it more, the blade came to feel more natural in her hands. Within minutes, she was awkwardly chaining her strokes together, and even these became more refined within the hour. She wasn't confident enough to face any real enemies yet, but she figured with a few more days of practice, she could make more effective use of the lightsaber. A sudden prick on the back of her head, however, made her put the lightsaber on her belt and spin on her heel as the door behind her opened. In the doorway stood Commander Shepard, a collected look to his face that hid a combination of weariness and irritation.

"Commander, I almost didn't hear you."

"Sorry to barge in. Just wanted to see if you're settling in all right."

"It's a lot to take in, but I'm fine." The statement was neither true nor false.

"You look nervous."

"I don't know. This ship doesn't feel quite right. It's a bit unsettling."

"What do you mean?" Shepard crossed his arms.

"Something here just feels… wrong. Out of place."

"Are you sure it's not just that you're unfamiliar with the ship?"

"It might be. I'm not sure."

"You said before that you were a soldier. Were you with the Alliance?"

"No."

"Then who were you with?"

"Commander, I'd love to share my life's story with you, but I don't know you. I don't trust you yet."

"We'll need to work on that if we want to come out of this mission alive."

"You never said anything about dying."

"I thought it was implied."

"By what?"

"Maybe the Collectors?"

"If _they're_ going to kill us, I'll just off myself."

"You seem awfully confident."

"That's because I know I can kill them. I'm not scared of them."

"They're dangerous, and I don't want anyone to die because they got too confident."

"I know my own limits."

"I don't doubt that at all. I just want you to be careful. The Collectors are not our only enemies out here, and you're an unknown here. Some might try to take advantage of that."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"That's okay. Just be careful."

"I can do that, Commander."

"'Shepard' is fine."

"Okay, Shepard."

"It was nice talking to you, Sila."

"Yeah. You too."

"If you need me, I'll be in the CIC." Shepard turned and left as Sila leaned against the wall, a sigh escaping her mouth.

"Damnit." She had noticed that he had occasionally glanced at the lightsaber at her belt. He either knew something about it, or knew she had lied about her knowledge of it. She pulled it off of her belt and turned it over in her hand. The simple design of the hilt felt natural in her hand; like she had always had it. She pushed the activator switch and watched the pale blade spring to life in front of her. Just staring at the blade gave her a sense of serenity that she hadn't had since waking up. She set the hilt back on her belt and leaned her head against the wall, the weariness in her bones finally overtaking her as she drifted into sleep.

 _The storm raged around her, but Sila felt no fear. The storm clouds bent above her, their lightning arcing to places it shouldn't have been able to. In front of her stood an imposing figure draped in a black cloak that covered everything but his eyes, which gleamed blood-red with every stroke of lightning. The blade at his side hissed to life, the same color as his eyes, and Sila responded in kind, a pale cylinder of energy erupting from the hilt in her hand. She knew she couldn't defeat him, but she could hold him off long enough for the others to find what they came for. His gaze cut right through her, and to the door that she blocked. If he wanted through, he would have to kill her first. She raised her blade as he charged, ready to block his strike. When he brought his blade down, she met it with her own and kicked him in the gut, sending him a few inches away. He charged again as Sila slid between his legs, popped up behind him, and brought her blade up to cut across his back. He blocked the slice and lashed out with his foot, connecting with her chest and forcing the air from her lungs. The sheer force of the impact made her want to throw up, but she resisted the urge, regained her balance, and swung again, this time taking a small chunk out of his shoulder. He howled and swung his blade around with a speed that Sila almost couldn't track. She brought her blade up and blocked the strike, just as his fist connected with her jaw. She reeled back from the force of the punch, and almost didn't block his next attack. On pure instinct, she grabbed the pistol from her belt, shoved it into his gut and pulled the trigger. He inhaled sharply and pushed down harder with his blade, forcing Sila to a knee. She fired again, and he stumbled back a few paces, a smoking hole in his robe. He reached out his hand, and an overwhelming pressure struck Sila's head, threatening to implode her skull. She blindly shot again, but the pressure only intensified. She blindly fired off at least four shots before the pressure on her head went away and she collapsed, her breath labored and heavy. She hauled herself back to her feet to find her opponent sporting several new holes in his robe, as well as one in his shoulder._

" _This isn't over._ "

Sila awoke with a start, her head banging against the wall behind her. As she shook the pain from her head, she felt a cold sweat on her arms and legs. "It was a dream." She sighed, forcing herself to breathe normally. "It was just a dream."

 **Hey, sorry about the wait (and the short chapter). I have news though. I'm starting a development cycle. Basically I'll be updating one story a week, but I'm not sure what order to update them in. So I set up a poll (link on my profile) to see which one you want updated first. Obviously first place is getting updated in two weeks (I'm taking next week to compile results and write the chapter), second place the next week, and so on. So please vote. Thanks.**

 **BTW: It feels good to be back.**


	5. Update

**Hey Everyone! I know it's been a while, but I've had a couple things going on, so I figured I'd give an update.**

 **My hard drive crashed. I lost all the work I've done on this site. What's on the site is all I have left. I have to start from scratch again, just like I did 3 years ago.**

 **I'm going to downsize my stories. Several will be** **temporarily** **abandoned in favor of new stories. Other will be scrapped and given a rebirth in the future. Stay tuned to my profile for all the details.**

 **I get to start from scratch. Expect some new content, some territories I've never covered. I wanted to do so many other stories, but i was micromanaging all the ones I'm working on now.**

 **I'm going to try to update more frequently. I can't make any guarantees, because college, but I will try.**

 **Anyway, that's the update, expect some content in the near future. I'll see all of you soon.**

 **-AG**


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